Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist group? - BBC News BBC News Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist group? 24 November 2016 Close share panel Image copyright AFP Image caption Abubakar Shekau (centre) pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group but it later disowned him Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram - which has caused havoc in Africa's most populous country through a wave of bombings, assassinations and abductions - is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state. Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it "haram", or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society. This includes voting in elections, wearing shirts and trousers or receiving a secular education. Boko Haram regards the Nigerian state as being run by non-believers, regardless of whether the president is Muslim or not - and it has extended its military campaign by targeting neighbouring states.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Boko Haram has attacked many schools in northern Nigeria Image copyright AFP Image caption The group launched its insurgency in 2009 The group's official name is Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad". Resisting British rule But residents in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, where the group had its headquarters, dubbed it Boko Haram. Loosely translated from the region's Hausa language, this means "Western education is forbidden". Boko originally meant fake but came to signify Western education, while haram means forbidden.

Boko Haram at a glance Image caption Boko Haram's founding leader Mohammed Yusuf was killed in police custody in 2009 Founded in 2002 Official Arabic name, Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad" Initially focused on opposing Western education Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state Designated a terrorist group by US in 2013 Declared a caliphate in areas it controlled in 2014 Most territory now recaptured by army What is jihadism? Recruiting ground Since the Sokoto caliphate, which ruled parts of what is now northern Nigeria, Niger and southern Cameroon, fell under British control in 1903, there has been resistance among some of the area's Muslims to Western education. Many still refuse to send their children to government-run "Western schools", a problem compounded by the ruling elite which does not see education as a priority. Against this background, charismatic Muslim cleric Mohammed Yusuf formed Boko Haram in Maiduguri in 2002.

He set up a religious complex, which included a mosque and an Islamic school. Many poor Muslim families from across Nigeria, as well as neighbouring countries, enrolled their children at the school. But Boko Haram was not only interested in education. Its political goal was to create an Islamic state, and the school became a recruiting ground for jihadis. Media captionBoko Haram in 60 seconds In 2009, Boko Haram carried out a spate of attacks on police stations and other government buildings in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state. This led to shoot-outs on Maiduguri's streets. Hundreds of Boko Haram supporters were killed and thousands of residents fled the city. Nigeria's security forces eventually seized the group's headquarters, capturing its fighters and killing Mr Yusuf. His body was shown on state television and the security forces declared Boko Haram finished. Image copyright AFP Image caption A regional coalition has recaptured much territory from Boko Haram But its fighters regrouped under a new leader, Abubakar Shekau, and stepped up their insurgency.

In 2013, the US designated it a terrorist organisation , amid fears that it had developed links with other militant groups, such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, to wage a global jihad. Facial marks Boko Haram's trademark was originally the use of gunmen on motorbikes, killing police, politicians and anyone who criticised it, including clerics from other Muslim traditions and Christian preachers. The group then began to carry out more audacious attacks in northern and central Nigeria, including bombing churches, bus ranks, bars, military barracks and even the police and UN headquarters in the capital, Abuja. Amid growing concern about the escalating violence, the government declared a state of emergency in May 2013 in the three northern states where Boko Haram was strongest - Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. Image copyright AFP Image caption A global campaign was launched for the release of the Chobok girls Image copyright AFP Image caption Thousands of reinforcements have been sent to Maiduguri It draws its fighters mainly from the Kanuri ethnic group, which is the largest in the three states. Most Kanuris have distinctive facial scars and when added to their heavy Hausa accents, they are easily identifiable to others Nigerians.

As a result, the militants operate mainly in the north-east, where the terrain is also familiar to them. Foreign links The deployment of troops and the formation of vigilante groups drove many of them out of Maiduguri, their main urban base and they retreated to the vast Sambisa forest to the south and the Mandara Mountains, close to the border with Cameroon. From there, the group's fighters launched mass attacks on villages and towns, looting, killing, abducting women and children and conscripting men and boys into their army. In April 2014, Boko Haram drew international condemnation by abducting more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok town in Borno state, saying it would treat them as slaves and marry them off - a reference to an ancient Islamic belief that women captured in conflict are considered war booty. And it switched tactics, starting to hold on to territory rather than retreating after an attack. In August 2014, Mr Shekau declared a caliphate in areas under Boko Haram's control, with the town of Gwoza its seat of power.

"We are in an Islamic caliphate," said Mr Shekau, flanked by masked fighters and carrying a machine gun. "We have nothing to do with Nigeria. We don't believe in this name." Image copyright AFP Image caption The violence has forced millions from their homes Later, Mr Shekau formally pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group, turning his back on al-Qaeda. IS accepted the pledge, naming the territory under Boko Haram's control as the Islamic State of West Africa Province and as being part of the global caliphate it was trying to establish. Chronic poverty But by March 2015, Boko Haram had lost all the towns under its control as a regional coalition - made up of troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger - was formed to fight it. Once again, Boko Haram retreated to the Sambisa forest, where the Nigerian military pursued it, freeing hundreds of captives.

Image copyright Boko Haram video Image caption IS has declared Abu Musab al-Barnawi Boko Haram's new leader Image copyright AFP Image caption Regional forces have stepped up border patrols to curb infiltration by militants In August 2016, the group apparently split, with an IS video announcing that Mr Shekau had been replaced with Abu Musab al-Barnawi, believed to be a son of Boko Haram's founder. Mr Shekau disputed this, insisting he was still in charge. And in a big surprise, 21 of the Chibok girls, seen as prized assets for Mr Shekau, were freed in October 2016 following talks involving the militants, the Nigerian and Swiss governments and the International Committee of the Red Cross. But with Amnesty International saying that some 2,000 children remain in captivity, many more are still to be freed. And while many fighters have been killed and weapons seized, some analysts say it is too early to write off Boko Haram. Boko Haram has outlived other militant groups in northern Nigeria, and has built a presence in neighbouring states where it has carried out attacks and has recruited fighters.

It has a force of thousands of men - CIA officials have estimated around 9,000 - and cells that specialise in bombings. Through its raids on military bases and banks, it has gained control of vast amounts of weapons and money. So, the chances of it being routed anytime soon - despite Mr Buhari's claim that it had been "technically defeated" - are slim, with the region's chronic poverty and poor education system helping it gain new recruits. Militant Groups in North and West Africa | Stratfor Militant Groups in North and West Africa Text Size Video Transcript: The recent attack by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb-affiliates on Algeria’s Ain Aminas energy facility brings attention to the presence of militant groups in North and West Africa. Most countries of North and West Africa are confronted by militant, rebel or armed groups. It is thus critical to distinguish the geopolitically significant groups from those that do not impact international or regional concerns. Porous borders and vast, largely uninhabited spaces have enabled some militants, such as al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a degree of sanctuary beyond the reach of most of the region’s governments.

Other militant groups, such as Nigeria’s Boko Haram or the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, are empowered by local politicians desiring rebel strife to achieve internal political goals. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, while geographically limited to Nigeria’s oil-producing region, has conducted kidnapping and oil pipeline attacks that have disrupted international oil markets. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb operates in two principal theaters. One is the mountainous Kabylie region of northeastern Algeria, where its leadership resides and coordinates attacks against the Algerian state. The second theater for al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is in the Sahel region that stretches across the desert spaces of Mauritania, Mali and Niger. The Sahel command of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb secured control of northern Mali in 2012, from which it planned and conducted transnational attacks. However, the French military intervention in Mali prevented further expansion by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. West African ground forces being mobilized for Mali will aim, together with the French and Malians, to degrade, disrupt and drive al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb from northern Mali.

Also in the Sahel region, principally in Mali but found in Niger to a lesser extent, are ethnic Tuareg militias fighting for indigenous rights and representation. The Tuareg alone do not present a transnational threat and rather are a rival for political control in their northern areas of their respective countries. They are a national threat, however, when reinforced by manpower, materiel and tactics supported by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Morocco is confronted by Ansar al-Shariah, an Islamist militant threat. But Rabat’s pervasive internal security apparatus has been effective at dismantling terrorist cells before they have evolved into a significant threat. Morocco’s borders, with Algeria to the east and with Mauritania to the southeast, are closed and protected by a militarized barrier that interdicts the flow of people and goods. Libya faces several armed groups, some of which Tripoli has tried — to little success so far — to incorporate into a national army, notably the Benghazi-located Rafallah al-Sahati and the Libyan Shield militants, itself an umbrella of militias in the Benghazi area.

It is not clear the popular support for Libya’s militant Islamists, who also use the Ansar al-Shariah label, who are suspected of participating in the September 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. These countries remain constrained in their ability to fully neutralize militant threats, given their vast geographies of little central government presence, where loose borders are ineffectually patrolled, where intelligence and security is weak, and where weapons are in abundant supply. Nigeria vigilantes kill Islamic militants Nigeria vigilantes kill Islamic militants Locals form vigilante groups to resist the militants that kidnapped 270 school girls Post to Facebook Nigeria vigilantes kill Islamic militants Locals form vigilante groups to resist the militants that kidnapped 270 school girls Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 7 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Nigeria vigilantes kill Islamic militants AP 9:33 a.m.

ET May 14, 2014 Christians pray during a service to support the release of kidnapped girls in Nigeria, at a church in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 14, 2014. Boko Haram, the militant group that kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria, said the girls will only be freed after the government releases jailed militants. (Photo: Ahn Young-joon, AP) BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) — Villagers in an area of Nigeria where Boko Haram operates have killed and detained scores of the extremist Islamic militants who were suspected of planning a fresh attack, the residents and a security official said. Locals in Nigeria's northern states have been forming vigilante groups in various areas to resist the militant group which hold more than 270 schoolgirls captive. In Kalabalge, a village about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Borno state capital of Maiduguri, residents said they were taking matters into their own hands because the Nigerian military is not doing enough to stem Boko Haram attacks.

On Tuesday morning, after learning about an impending attack by militants, locals ambushed two trucks with gunmen, a security official told The Associated Press. At least 10 militants were detained, and scores were killed, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to give interviews to journalists. It was not immediately clear where the detainees were being held. Kalabalge trader Ajid Musa said that after residents organized the vigilante group, "it is impossible" for militants to successfully stage attacks there. "That is why most attacks by the Boko Haram on our village continued (to) fail because they cannot come in here and start shooting and killing people," he said. Earlier this year in other parts of Borno, some extremists launched more attacks in retaliation over the vigilante groups. Borno is where more than 300 girls were abducted last month and one of three Nigerian states where President Goodluck Jonathan has imposed a state of emergency, giving the military special powers to fight the Islamic extremist group, whose stronghold is in northeast Nigeria. (Photo: Sunday Alamba, AP) Britain and the U.S. are now actively involved in the effort to rescue the missing girls. U.S.

Attorney General Eric Holder said FBI agents and a hostage negotiating team are in Nigeria now, providing technology and other materials and working with "our Nigerian counterparts to be as helpful as we possibly can." The group kidnapped the girls on April 15 from a school in Chibok. At least 276 of them are still held captive, with the group's leader threatening to sell them into slavery. In a video released on Monday, he offered to release the girls in exchange for the freedom of jailed Boko Haram members. A Nigerian government official has said "all options" are now open — including negotiations or a possible military operation with foreign help. Jonathan this week sought to extend the state of emergency for six more months in the states of Yobe, Adamawa and Borno. That move is being opposed by some leaders in northern Nigeria who say the emergency measure has brought no success. Yobe Governor Ibrahim Gaidam said in a statement received Wednesday that his government "takes very strong exception" to attempts to extend the state of emergency — a period that he described as "marked more by failure than by success." The measure was imposed May 14, 2013, and extended in December.

Boko Haram has killed more than 1,500 people this year. Although the security forces have forced the militants out of urban centers, they have struggled for months to dislodge them from hideouts in mountain caves and the Sambisa forest. ___ 179 CONNECT TWEET 6 LINKEDIN 7 COMMENTEMAILMORE Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read or Share this story: NEVER MISS OUT The Short List Let us bring the headlines to you every night. Stay current and catch up on the biggest stories of the day. The 5 Deadliest Terrorist Groups on the Planet | The National Interest Search The 5 Deadliest Terrorist Groups on the Planet "Like it or not, terrorism will continue to be a problem for the United States, its allies, and the rest of the international community. " Tweet Share Share You are more likely to be struck by lightning than killed or injured in a terrorist attack. This is the type of rhetoric that is often used to calm the public when the national threat level is increased.

Although the days of the color-coded ranking system from the Department of Homeland Security are long gone, the U.S. government is still quick to warn the public when there are credible reports of an upcoming terrorist plot against Americans. Public concerns over terrorism have certainly declined precipitously since September 11, 2001 and have remained far behind the economy, job creation and political polarization on the list of voters’ worries. Yet it only takes one mass casualty attack or a single, publicized beheading of an American citizen to regain the attention of the American public. The fact that 71 percent of American voters in the 2014 midterms were worried about a terrorist attack on the U.S. homeland is an indication that violent groups like Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are still hovering in the minds of many Americans. Like it or not, terrorism will continue to be a problem for the United States, its allies and the rest of the international community. Like narcotics or petty crime, terrorism cannot be eliminated—it can only be degraded and managed to a point that allows everyone to live their lives in relative peace.

Here is a list of the five deadliest terrorist groups that are operating today, and the five that are no doubt at the top of Washington’s radar: 1. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant: It takes a special kind of terrorist organization to force the world’s most powerful and professional military into action halfway around the globe. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS or simply the Islamic State) is exactly this type of organization: strong enough to rout several divisions of a national army, and rich enough to sustain their operations at an impressive pace. Estimated by the Central Intelligence Agency to have a size of 31,000 fighters, ISIL has single-handedly swept across an area of the Middle East roughly the size of Belgium. The swift and easy capture of Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul, by several thousand ISIL fighters in June 2014 had the effect of not only embarrassing the Iraqi government in the eyes of its people, but revealing how poorly led and pathetic the Iraqi security forces had become. Absent President Barack Obama’s decision to authorize targeted airstrikes against ISIL positions in early August, there was a very real possibility that several more divisions of the Iraqi army could have collapsed.

A major difference between ISIL and the litany of other Islamist terrorist organizations competing for fundraising and recruits is that the former is succeeding in a task that not even Al Qaeda could accomplish: capturing territory, holding that territory and declaring an Islamic caliphate in the very heart of the Arab world. And ISIL is doing it in the most brutal way imaginable: rounding up and executing anyone who shows the slightest bit of resistance to its domination. At least four cases of mass killings by ISIL terrorists have been documented, including the execution of 250 Syrian troops in August after the group captured the al-Tabqa air base. Several weeks ago, over 200 Iraqi tribesmen were massacred west of Ramadi in what can only be described as an attempt by ISIL to extinguish any competitor, however passive, who dares to rise up and challenge its authority. Combined with a Treasury Department study that assesses ISIL’s crude oil revenue at a value of $1 million per day, it’s safe to say that the United States and the coalition it has assembled has a lot of work ahead of them. 2.

Boko Haram: The jihadist group in northeastern Nigeria catapulted to the world’s attention when a boarding school in the Nigerian border town of Chibok was raided in the middle of the night. Around 300 Nigerian schoolgirls were taken captive by Boko Haram militants and threatened with forced marriage and forced conversion. Yet Boko Haram has been menacing Nigeria’s northern communities for years. Public reports state that the organization was founded in 2002, but it’s activities only reached global spotlight in 2009, when Boko Haram’s new leader, Abubakr Shekau, launched what can only be described as an insurgency against the Nigerian government using nothing but terrorist tactics. Boko Haram has razed entire villages to the ground, its inhabitants often killed with bullets to the head or burned alive. The Council on Foreign Relations estimates that at least 6,742 people have been killed as a result of Boko Haram’s violence since May 2011—although the murky nature of violence in Nigeria and multiple claims of responsibility guarantee that this is an incredibly conservative figure.

No target is off limits for Boko Haram either; last Monday, over fifty schoolchildren were killed in a suicide bombing that many speculate was a Boko Haram member. This wouldn’t be all that surprising, given the group’s history of destroying schools and burning students alive in their dormitories. Islamist terror groups in Africa and Middle East | World | DW.COM | 26.06.2014 Islamist terror groups in Africa and Middle East Opinion: Who will stop the "Islamic State?" War in Iraq, abductions in Nigeria, armed attacks in Somalia - DW takes a look at eight radical terrorist groups like ISIS, Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab wreaking havoc in North Africa and the Middle East. ISIS: The Sunni terrorist organization ISIS has significantly expanded its power base in a short space of time, bringing entire regions under its control. The ideological goal of ISIS is cemented in its name: "Islamic State in Iraq and Syria." Their objective is to create a large-scale theocracy made up of Syria, parts of Iraq, Lebanon, and much of Palestine and Jordan. The militant group is considered more radical than Al-Qaeda. ISIS is largely financed by private donations from the Gulf states Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Other sources of funding include the oil fields in northern Syria, as well as systematic extortion. Experts estimate that the group has about 10,000 fighters in its ranks. ISIS has taken advantage of the conflict between the Sunni minority and the Shiite majority in Iraq – a source of new recruits. Many members are also international religious warriors or converts. Boko Haram: The name of the Islamist terrorist organization Boko Haram means "Western education is sin." They are mostly active in the majority Muslim north of Nigeria, and are committed to the introduction of sharia law across the country. The group attracted a significant amount of media attention with their recent kidnappings of school girls. Dire poverty and unemployment in northern Nigeria makes it easy for Boko Haram's leaders to recruit new fighters. The Nigerian security forces are no match for the heavily armed terrorists. Since 2003, thousands of people have been killed in attacks on security forces, government agencies, churches and schools. Around 2,000 people were killed in Boko Haram attacks in the first four months of 2014 alone.

Al-Shabaab: Jihadist militant group Al-Shabaab was founded between 2004 and 2006 in Somalia, at a time when the country had already been embroiled in civil war for almost 15 years. Their name means "the youth." The group is fighting for a theocracy in the Horn of Africa. Their radical Islamist ideology knows no national borders. They have carried out attacks across east Africa - as well as in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, where more than 60 people were killed in an armed attack on a shopping center in September 2013. Al-Shabaab controls large parts of central and southern Somalia, and have turned to other Islamist groups like Al-Qaeda for support in training fighters. They also have links with the Islamists of Boko Haram. Al-Qaeda: Al-Qaeda is considered the parent organization of global jihad. Its name means "base" or "foundation." Al-Qaeda was the mastermind behind the attacks on New York on September 11, 2001. Their aim is to establish a theocracy which includes all Islamic countries and territories. Following the death of Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaeda has been headed by the Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Today, Al-Qaeda is a loose network of largely autonomous cells that are active in different countries. Among them is Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates mainly in Algeria and northern Mali, and Al-Qaeda in Yemen, a jihadist stronghold. The group ISIS in Iraq split off from Al-Qaeda. Al-Nusra Front: The Al-Nusra Front is an official offshoot of al-Qaeda. The name means " The Support Front for the People of Levant." It is regarded as one of Syria's main rebel groups. Its stated objectives include the establishment of an Islamist state in Syria, and ultimately throughout the Levant, and in all of the countries in the eastern Mediterranean. The Al-Nusra Front has an estimated 5000-7000 members, and is most active in northern Syria. Ansar al-Sharia: Ansar al-Sharia organizations in Tunisia and Libya advocate for the implementation of strict Sharia law. Smaller groups of Ansar al-Sharia are also active in a number of other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The port city of Benghazi is the group's main stronghold in Libya.

The group was blamed for an attack on the city's US consulate on September 11, 2012, which killed four people including the US ambassador. Ansar al-Sharia is said to have links to Al-Qaeda, but the group denies these allegations. Hezbollah: The Lebanese organization Hezbollah was founded in 1982. The Shiite group receives support from Syria and Iran. Hezbollah's military arm is listed as a terrorist organization in the US and the EU. Hezbollah units are fighting in Syria on the side of President Bashar al-Assad's forces. Hamas: The "Islamic Resistance Movement" Hamas was founded in 1987. The group is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Besides the Fatah party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas is the second major group representing Palestinians. Unlike Fatah, Israel has never officially recognized Hamas. Their goal is the destruction of the state of Israel. In the 1990s, they bombarded Israel with suicide bombings. Hamas has controlled the Gaza strip since 2007, while Fatah governs the West Bank. Hamas and Fatah recently agreed to form a unity government.

Israel has carried out a wave of arrests of top Hamas members in the West Bank, following the recent kidnapping of Israeli teenagers in the area. DW recommends What is Ansaru, the Other Militant Islamist Group in Nigeria Besides Boko Haram? What is Ansaru, the Other Militant Islamist Group in Nigeria Besides Boko Haram? On 4/4/16 at 11:45 AM Close World Nigeria Ansaru Khalid Al-Barnawi Boko Haram Despite hogging the column inches due to its bloodthirsty tactics, Boko Haram is not the only militant Islamist sect causing problems in Nigeria. The Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa—known by its abbreviated Arabic name of Ansaru—announced its existence in 2012 and has since carried out a spate of kidnappings, particularly of foreign nationals. Nigerian authorities claimed a success in their counter-extremism operations, when military spokesman Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar said that the purported leader of Ansaru, Khalid Al-Barnawi, had been arrested on Saturday. A screenshot from a video posted by the Nigerian militant group Ansaru on YouTube, November 30, 2012.

Ansaru has claimed a spate of kidnappings of foreign nationals in Nigeria in recent years. YouTube What is Ansaru? Ansaru announced its existence in January 2012 with a statement in which it claimed it would “encourage what is good and see to its spread and… discourage evil and try to eliminate it.” On other occasions, the group has said it exists to reclaim the “lost dignity of Muslims of black Africa” and wishes to create an Islamic caliphate in Nigeria. Though it has been relatively quiet in Nigeria in recent years, the group gained infamy for carrying out several high-profile kidnappings—since 2012, Ansaru is believed by the British government to have been responsible for kidnapping at least eight mainly European hostages and killing several of them. In its first action in March 2012, Ansaru reportedly killed one British and one Italian hostage in Sokoto, northwestern Nigeria, after kidnapping them in May 2011. In one of its deadliest attacks, Ansaru said it killed seven foreign hostages in March 2013 after kidnapping them from a construction site in the northern state of Bauchi. What are Ansaru’s links to other groups?

The group emerged as a splinter from Boko Haram in 2012 due to ideological differences, according to Bat-el Ohayon, co-founder of sub-Saharan Africa analysts Afrique Consulting Group. “The leaders of Ansaru, among them Khalid Al-Barnawi, did not agree with the operational methods of Boko Haram, which included killing Muslims,” says Ohayon. Despite claiming to want to institute Islamic law in Nigeria, Boko Haram often attacks mosques and many of its victims are Muslim. Since splitting from Boko Haram, various sources have said that the group’s main allegiance is to the global Al-Qaeda jihadi movement. In classifying Ansaru as a terrorist group in November 2012, the British Home Office said that it was “broadly aligned with Al-Qaeda” and an unnamed serving officer in the Nigerian Army described Al-Barnawi as “the backbone of all Al-Qaeda affiliate groups in West Africa,” according to German publication DW . Ohayon says that the working relationship between the two groups consists of Al-Qaeda helping with the training and financing of Ansaru’s members and that it has been suggested that Ansaru fighters have waged war alongside Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in northern Mali .

Who is Khalid Al-Barnawi? A mysterious figure subject to a $5 million U.S. bounty , Al-Barnawi was allegedly a high-ranking member of Boko Haram before Ansaru broke away from its parent group in 2012. Nigerian authorities claimed that Al-Barnawi had been detained in Lokoja, the capital of the central state of Kogi, on Saturday. Defense spokesman Abubakar described the arrest to Reuters as a “giant stride” in Nigeria’s fight against militancy. But the Nigerian authorities are yet to release reliable images or footage of Al-Barnawi in captivity and according to Fulan Nasrullah, an independent conflict analyst in Nigeria, Al-Barnawi remains a free man. “Khalid’s people and I have spoken and they have said that he is free and was not captured in Lokoja or anywhere else,” says Nasrullah, who tracks developments in the Boko Haram conflict. “They [the Nigerian military] have killed seven different people at seven different times thinking they were Khalid Al-Barnawi.

They have no photos of him nor do they know any concrete information about him.” Related Stories Boko Haram: A bloody Nigerian insurgency - CNN.com 12 of 13 Photos: Bring Back Our Girls Bring Back Our Girls – Singer Steven Tyler posted this image on both his Twitter and Instagram accounts alonth with the hashtag #RealMenDontBuyGirls. Hide Caption 13 of 13 In recent years, its attacks have intensified in an apparent show of defiance amid the nation's military onslaught. Its ambitions appear to have expanded to the destruction of the Nigerian government. How long has it been around? The group was founded 14 years ago by Mohammed Yusuf, a charismatic cleric who called for a pure Islamic state in Nigeria. Police killed him in 2009 in an incident captured on video and posted online. The crackdown, some say, made Boko Haram more violent and defiant. Abubakar Shekau took control of the group and escalated the attacks. It murdered and kidnapped Westerners and started a bombing campaign that targets churches, mosques and government buildings. Why not just kill Abubakar Shekau? One word: Elusive.

Questions have swirled about Shekau, including whether he's dead or alive. Even his age is unknown -- estimates range between 35 and 44. In recent years, the Nigerian military has touted his death, only to retract its claim after he appeared alive and vibrant in propaganda videos. He uses the alias Darul Tawheed, and analysts describe him as a ruthless loner and master of disguise. He does not speak directly with members, opting to communicate through a few select confidants. Why would Islamist terrorists target the Muslim north? Despite its religious fanaticism, Boko Haram does not consider all Muslims as supporters and allies. There have been suggestions that it attacks certain mosques because members have spoken out against it and helped federal officials with their crackdown. Its attacks are aimed at striking fear at the heart of the local population to prevent cooperation with the government, analysts say. Does the north support the group? Although the northern populace mostly abhors the violence, there is considerable local sympathy and support for Sharia law, seen by many as the only way to end what is widely regarded as a corrupt and inept government.

Poverty is prevalent in the northern region, and as the military struggles to halt Boko Haram's attacks, the militant group is winning perhaps its most important battle: making Nigerians question government competency. Rights groups have accused local authorities of human rights violations in the fight against the group, adding to the anti-government sentiment. What's the West doing to help? The United States has put a $7 million bounty on Shekau's head . It also designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist network. Though it has provided technical and financial support to the Nigerian teams battling the insurgency, there has been a reluctance to put boots on the ground unless there's a direct national security threat to the West. Boko Haram's attacks have been limited primarily to Nigeria and neighboring nations. Any chance it could attack beyond West Africa? Whether it does or not, the world should pay attention. With a population of 175 million, Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and is considered a political and economic powerhouse in the continent. The key U.S. partner is rich in oil, a major trading partner with China and is the hub of global business in the region.

And as we've learned with Mali, any unresolved local Islamist insurgency has the potential of spiraling into a world problem. In recent years, Shekau has vowed to attack the United States and Europe. "Our strength and firepower is bigger than that of Nigeria. Nigeria is no longer a big deal to us, as far as we are concerned. We will now comfortably confront the United States of America," he said in a recent video. Does it have ties to other terror groups? The United States says Boko Haram has links to the al Qaeda affiliate in West Africa and to extremist groups in Mali. But even more unsettling is its recent pledge of allegiance to ISIS, the Syria-based terror group that has launched attacks across the globe. ISIS ambition is unparalleled, with its sympathizers accused of attacks in the United States. What other attacks has the group conducted? The list of attacks is getting longer, and bloodier. Last year, Boko Haram militants opened fire on northern Nigerian villages, leaving bodies scattered everywhere and as many as 2,000 people feared dead. Rights groups described it as the terror group's deadliest attack, highlighting its escalating brutality. Then there's the 2014 attack that sent shock waves worldwide .

Militants stormed a school in the dead of the night, seized nearly 300 schoolgirls and vanished into a dense forest. Their abduction sparked a global movement as throngs took to the streets demanding their rescue. Some remain missing years later. The terror group has abducted dozens of Christian women, impregnated them and forcibly converted them to Islam or married them off to their kidnappers. It has also used women as suicide bombers. Its attacks have not been limited to government interests. In 2011, a suicide bomber targeted the United Nations building in Abuja, killing dozens. UAE lists over 80 Muslim 'terrorist' groups UAE lists over 80 Muslim 'terrorist' groups Pin it Share Alleged Islamic State militants stand next to an IS flag atop a hill in the Syrian town of Ain al-Arab, known as Kobane by the Kurds, on October 6, 2014 (AFP Photo/Aris Messinis) More Abu Dhabi (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates, which belongs to a US-led coalition fighting jihadists, on Saturday issued a list of 83 Islamist groups which it classified as "terrorist organisations".

The list, approved by the cabinet and published on the official WAM news agency, is similar to an announcement made by Riyadh in March. It blacklists Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS), as well as the Muslim Brotherhood and Yemen's Shiite Huthi militia. The UAE has jailed dozens of Emiratis and Egyptians for forming cells of the Brotherhood, outlawed in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which accuses the movement of seeking to overthrow the Gulf monarchies. On Saturday, the UAE named the Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars which is headed by the Brotherhood's spiritual guide Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi on its terror list. From inside the Gulf state itself, the list names Al-Islah (reform) Society, dozens of whose members have been jailed, and the previously unknown "UAE jihad cells." Shiite Hezbollah in the Gulf states and brigades with the same name in Iraq also figure on the list, but not Lebanon's powerful Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. Several brigades fighting on both sides in the Syrian conflict along with Islamist groups in Libya, Tunisia, Mali, Pakistan, Nigeria's Boko Haram as well as Afghanistan's Taliban account for the bulk of the list.

Fifteen Islamists accused of joining and financing Al-Nusra Front, Syria's Al-Qaeda franchise, and Ahrar al-Sham, another Syrian rebel group, went on trial in the UAE in September. The UAE has been taking part in US-led air strikes against the IS group in Syria, along with fellow Arab states Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The Emirati list also includes the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe, as well as Muslim associations in Britain and other European countries. The oil-rich Arab monarchies of the Gulf have not faced the widespread protests which have swept other regional states since 2011. But authorities have cracked down on dissent and calls for democratic reform, drawing criticism from human rights groups. Those mainly targeted have been Islamists. In August, the UAE toughened anti-terrorism laws in a bid to stamp out terror financing, hostage-taking, human trafficking and money laundering. Reblog

Question: What is the name of the Islamic militant group active in Nigeria?
Answer: BOKO HARAM